'It's excellent': Restaurants prepare for capacity limit increase

A recent change in health restrictions is being welcomed by many restaurant owners, but also comes with its fair share of challenges.

Starting Tuesday, restaurants will once again be able to operate at 100 per cent capacity

It’s welcomed news to Shawn Brandson, the owner of Promenade Café.

As wave after wave of COVID-19 has swept through the province, restaurants have been one of the most impacted businesses.

"Well I've been in the industry for over 30 years and owned restaurants for 12 and by far this has been the hardest stretch ever out of all the years I've either worked or owned restaurants," said Brandson.

Brandson has had to close his restaurant's doors multiple times and create alternative ways to keep the business afloat.

While he's celebrating the province's recent change to allow restaurants to operate at full capacity, the change also brings challenges like staffing with it.

“Even though we're going to be able to open up to 100 per cent capacity, we're still going to have to ramp it up because we're going to have to hire more staff,” Brandson said.

Over at The Oval Room in the Fort Garry Hotel, the capacity increase is also being applauded.

The hotel restaurant took the pandemic as an opportunity to renovate and is now looking to reap the reward.

"Well it’s excellent because now we can welcome more people into the restaurant and not be so restrictive with our reservations," said Christopher Sprague, the restaurant’s wine director.

Even with the loosened restrictions, both restaurants say they'll be taking a slower than necessary approach.

"With 100 percent capacity, we're still not putting in a lot of extra tables or trying to make this room completely full we wanted to still be comfortable and give some good distance between everybody as well," said Sprague

But the success of the increased capacity -- will still rely on people wanting to dine out.

"You know restaurants need your support we need people to be going back out enjoying meals it's a safe place to go," noted Brandson.